Two Nations Under God

By Tom Doyle

Why should you care about Israel? With the war in Iraq, possible engagement in Iran, and an imminent presidential election, U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the issue of solidarity with Israel remain important.   In Two Nations Under God, American missionary Tom Doyle presents even greater reasons why the U.S. should show concern for Israel. Part one, “Why Should America Care?” is a biblical and historical primer on Israel with fascinating insights into connections between American and Middle East culture. Part two, “Sorting Out the Middle East Maze,” presents more facts about Islam and the spiritual roots behind the Middle East conflicts. Part three, “Maximizing the Moment,” is a call to action and prayer for the A merican church regarding the future of Israel.   Best of all, readers will learn throughout that, despite the headlines, there is plenty of good news coming from the Middle East. Doyle reports on the increasing number of Muslims converting to Christianity, profiles local disciples and church planters, and provides helpful timelines, comparison charts, photographs, and more to keep every detail concerning Israel in perspective.

Endorsements:

"Chaos. Carnage. Confusion. For many, that’s the modern Middle East. But Tom Doyle gets it. Better yet, he can really explain it. With a pastor’s heart, he clearly and concisely describes why God loves the Jews of Israel and her Muslim neighbors, and why we should, too. What’s more, Tom reveals how powerfully God is moving in the modern Middle East, and how we can join Him. Two Nations under God is a must read—fascinating, insightful, and deeply thought-provoking. Get one for yourself, and another for your pastor."

Joel C. Rosenberg, New York Times best-selling author of Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future

• Language: English
• Publisher: BH Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 1, 2008
• ISBN: 9780805456783

Tom Doyle

Tom Doyle is the president of Uncharted Ministries, an accomplished author, popular international speaker, pastor, missionary to the unreached, and a veteran tour guide to Israel and the Middle East. He is the author of Dreams and Visions, Killing Christians, and Standing in the Fire.  

Book preview

TWO NATIONS UNDER GOD

ENDORSEMENTS

Chaos. Carnage. Confusion. For many, that's the modern Middle East. But Tom Doyle gets it. Better yet, he can really explain it. With a pastor's heart, he clearly and concisely describes why God loves the Jews of Israel and her Muslim neighbors, and why we should, too. What's more, Tom reveals how powerfully God is moving in the modern Middle East, and how we can join Him. Two Nations under God is a must read—fascinating, insightful, and deeply thought-provoking. Get one for yourself, and another for your pastor.

JOEL C. ROSENBERG

New York Times best-selling author of

Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the

Middle East Will Change Your Future

In Two Nations under God, Tom Doyle not only informs but inspires. Hope for the future is rare to find when it comes to the Middle East and Israel. Read this book and be informed not only about the history and political areas but of the witness of Jesus in the lives of people in the Bible lands. Tom helps us find ways to make a real difference and gives good news in troubled times. A must book for this day and time.

ARTHUR BLESSITT

The man who has carried the Cross into every nation of the world.

Guinness Book of World Records for world's longest walk.

Author of Give Me a J!

Tom Doyle knows no boundaries. He not only serves on the front line but on the spiritual front line in the Middle East, and has for many years. Two Nations under God is an extraordinary book! It looks into the political climate, turmoil, history, and future of the region. This is a must read for anyone hoping to understand why the Middle East is so volatile and what is driving this Holy War today. I am proud to call Tom Doyle a friend and brother in our Lord.

JASON ELAM

All-Pro Kicker for the Atlanta Falcons

Author of Monday Night Jihad

When searching for a word to describe the Middle East, most Americans would probably prefer inscrutable—not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood; mysterious. Why is the struggle in the Middle East so hard to understand?

In Two Nations under God, Tom Doyle guides the reader through the Middle East maze. He unscrews the inscrutable—providing direction, balance, and sanity to an otherwise twisted pathway of claims and counterclaims. But this is no dusty tome. Tom populates the book with stories and illustrations from real people he has met in his travels. He ends by focusing on a profoundly relevant question for those of us living in the United States—So what? His call to action applies directly to every true Christian—and congregation—in our country today.

I can summarize the book in three words: relevant, reliable, and readable. This book will change the way you think about—and pray for—the Middle East!

DR. CHARLES DYER

Provost and Dean of Education

Moody Bible Institute

To JoAnn

You are the love of my life.

Thank you for believing in me. I love you!

Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.

To Shanna, Tommy, John-Mark, Lindsay, Joshua, and Sarah

You are worth more than treasure to your dad.

May your ultimate treasure in life always be Jesus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section One: Why Should America Care?

1. Extreme Spirituality

Rami—The First Palestinian Christian Martyr

2. Endangered Species

Jasmine—An Iranian Woman of Great Faith

3. A Promise That Shaped America

Jamal—Son of Thunder

Section Two: Sorting Out the Middle East Maze

4. Dangerous Alliances

Samad and Shiraz—Escape from Iran

5. Heroes of Our Faith

Dvat and Eyal—Modern-Day Ruth and Boaz

6. The Believer, The American

Abdul—He Smiles for Jesus

Section Three: Maximizing the Moment

7. The Mission Heart of God

Rima—The Life-Giver

8. Global Praying That Is Truly Biblical

Avi—The Reconciler

9. Waking Up the Western Church

Acknowledgments

Notes

SECTION ONE

WHY SHOULD

AMERICA CARE?

Israel is the place, and the Jews are the people whom God promises to love unconditionally forever. But this produces an enormous amount of tension within the region. The nations of the world have been given an opportunity to bless or curse God's chosen covenant people. Their choice decides the health of the nation and determines its destiny. Though modern Israel's existence was off to a shaky start, America made a conscious effort to bless Israel and since that time has enjoyed the promised blessing of God. This has resulted in the United States soaring to the top of the most-favored nation list in all of recorded history.

Chapter 1

Extreme Spirituality

Jerusalem: The Spiritual Epicenter of the World

When measuring the magnitude of an earthquake's impact, the most extreme readings are generated from the focal point commonly known as the epicenter. The earth's underground jolting quickly makes its way up to the surface directly overhead, where the data readings are then evaluated and analyzed, both historically and geographically. If an earthquake is large enough, its seismic waves can be measured all around the globe.

The same kind of thing happens in the spiritual arena. From time to time, when religions clash and new holy wars begin, spiritual earthquakes occur. And without a doubt, the spiritual epicenter of the world is found in the tiny country of Israel—specifically, in the city of Jerusalem.

Out of all the great cities of the world, God chose Jerusalem to reside in and to place His name over forever. As a result, Jerusalem sends out enormous shock waves worldwide on a regular basis. It is and has always been the focal point of all spiritual history throughout the ages. No city has ever received so much attention. No city ever will.

The Anchor City of the Bible

Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, is mentioned in the Scripture 881 times, and is given at least seventy different names and descriptions from cover to cover. God's love relationship with Jerusalem is seen in the tender words He often uses to address her: My holy city, My highest joy, My holy mountain. Spiritual history has been cataloged here. In Jerusalem. This is where God met with humanity and one day will meet with us again. God is attached to this city—this Holy City—forever.

Notice how Yahweh feels about Jerusalem:

I have consecrated this temple you have built, to put My name there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there at all times. (1 Kings 9:3b)

The LORD loves the gates of Zion. (Ps. 87:2a)

For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home. (Ps. 132:13)

This was the city of the prophets, the home of the priests. Kings ruled here. Men and women of God served here. Abraham came here to sacrifice Isaac. Jesus came here to die—and continues to shock the world because He didn't stay dead here. And one day again in Jerusalem, He'll show the world that He's alive.

God's beautiful, eternal love for Jerusalem cannot be quenched. For more than a thousand years, His home address was here at the original clean room called the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount, the very heartbeat of Israel's existence. And when eternity begins, the new Jerusalem will come down from heaven adorned like a bride on her wedding day.

When I first traveled to the city of God, the effect on me was like nothing I had ever experienced. The sheer spiritual intensity of the place gripped me and wouldn't let go. What was happening to me? I wondered. I couldn't get the ancient walled city out of my mind. I had already done a fair amount of world traveling, but I never once returned home and dreamed about Moscow, Buenos Aires, or even our own Washington, D.C. After being in Jerusalem, however, I often revisited the city in my dreams. Was I experiencing some kind of spiritual breakdown?

Actually, I found out that I was in very good company. After all, our Savior, the disciples, and selected prophets were all prone to emotionalism while in this majestic city. Jesus wept over it. The Twelve marveled at it. The prophets made it the focal point of their scathing messages to God's disobedient people.

Truly, the call of Jerusalem gets into people's blood—sometimes mystically and misguidedly so. Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 that many would proclaim to be the Messiah in the days to come. How true! Jerusalem has experienced this phenomenon for years. Today, I'm told that at least one person a week walks into Jerusalem and proclaims to be the true Messiah. A special wing in the city's famous Hadassah Hospital has a steady stream of delusional visitors. Some claim to be Jesus, others Elijah, John the Baptist, Moses, or one of the apostles.

But even those of us who are still of sound mind and body continue to sense its pull. And the majority of those who experience what is now called Jerusalem syndrome are American Christians! Jerusalem, it seems, has special powers over people unlike any other place.

The City That Just Can't Live Up to Its Name

Jerusalem is paradoxical by nature. Its name means the city of peace, yet rarely does it ever experience any. The numbers are staggering! Throughout its history Jerusalem has:

been leveled eighteen times

been conquered thirty-seven times

changed hands eighty-six times

International coverage of Jerusalem routinely highlights the fact that the city is the ultimate political minefield. A river of blood has flowed out of the city over the years, and the riverbed appears to be widening. As I write this, the day's top news story is a proposed plan that would divide Jerusalem between Jews and Palestinians. If this happens, Muslims will be rejoicing worldwide. Unfortunately, this would be a blatant disregard for history, since Islam has no valid claims to the city of Jerusalem whatsoever. Not only is history being ignored in this case but so is common sense. Islam makes no bones about it. They want all of Jerusalem minus the Jews.

One of the recent strategies designed to accomplish this aim is a phenomenon sweeping the world today called Temple Denial. This attempt to revise history was originally stated by Yasser Arafat in December 2000 at Camp David meetings with then-President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Clinton, desperate to leave behind something positive from his presidency after being impeached, was pushing hard for peace between the Jews and Palestinians. But in his plan, Israel had to sacrifice everything to get a guarantee of peace from the Palestinians.

This sacrifice included the Holy City of Jerusalem.

It is a vast understatement to say that Jewish concessions would have been catastrophic for Israel if they had accepted this peace plan. Here are the parameters for what Israel was expected to give up. The Palestinians would receive full control of:

one half of Jerusalem;

Israel's beloved Temple Mount;

the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem;

and all Palestinian suburbs.

Israel would keep control of the Western Wall.

Sound fair? Again—in my view—Clinton was grasping at straws for something positive to leave behind in a presidential legacy marked by failure and scandal. In a selfish, sweeping move, he was prepared to give away Israel's holiest site. The Temple Mount is the heartbeat of Judaism. Likewise, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is of major significance for Christians. True, the church is a turn off for most believers today because of the six warring denominations that fight over it continually, but it is central to our Christian history. Amazingly, Christians did not organize to protest the move.

Jews did.

On January 8, 2001, Jews gathered together and staged the largest protest in Israeli history. Four hundred thousand Jews rallied together just outside the Old City to vehemently oppose the plan that would divide their precious property.

On day nine at Camp David, Chairman Arafat had the ball in his court. The offer would never be better. Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia, who attended the meetings, told Arafat that if he did not accept the peace plan, it was a criminal act. This was an all-time no-brainer for Arafat.

That's when I believe God intervened. Arafat laid his cards on the table. He launched into a lecture claiming there was never a Jewish temple anyway, so why should he negotiate? He wanted all of Jerusalem. The talks were over.

Clinton had placed all of his eggs in one basket, and the basket had been thrown back into his face. True, the Palestinian chairman had been to the White House many more times than the prime minister of Israel during the Clinton administration, but all the cozying up to Arafat paid no returns for the outgoing president. It was over for Bill Clinton's hopes for Mideast peace under his watch.

I believe that God intervened because the results for Israel would have been tantamount to waving a white flag and giving their country in its entirety over to the Palestinians. Half of Jerusalem wouldn't have been enough—not when the Palestinian Authority mandate for existence is to drive the Jews into the Mediterranean Sea. A key component in eradicating the Jews from Israel is to prove that they never belonged there in the first place. This revision of history seems insane against the mountain of evidence both from inside and outside the Bible, but it is a movement that is gaining steam around the world. (We'll deal with Temple Denial in more detail later.)

Certainly, this had reared its head at a time in history when, in hindsight, other priorities may have been more pressing. Dore Gold, in his award winning book The Fight for Jerusalem, adds this insight from Clinton's last days in office: Then there was the issue of terrorism. Outside of the peace team, some high-ranking U.S. government officials hoped that in his last months in office Clinton would attack Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. Richard Clarke of the National Security Council later recalled, ‘Time was running out on the Clinton administration. There was going to be one last major national security initiative, and it was going to be a final try to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.’ Thus, Clinton apparently chose to court Arafat instead of making the elimination of bin Laden his first priority.¹

Interesting how attractive Jerusalem remains.

WHOSE CITY?

The three great religions of the world all collide in Jerusalem. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are deeply entwined in the fabric of the Holy City.

For Jews, the glory days of their nation generated from Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. Israel soared to world prominence under David and Solomon before its spiritual implosion and subsequent captivities in later years. One of the main roads in Jerusalem is still called the Street of the Prophets. Jewish influence could never be extracted from the city. All of Israel's history is tethered there. The people and the city cannot be separated. Even in their many centuries away from Jerusalem, the hope of returning to her filled their hearts regardless of where they lived. Jews worldwide continued to have an eye on Jerusalem throughout the years.

For Christians, the church began in Jerusalem on Pentecost in AD 30. Although the first-century leaders were from the northern Galilee area, the dramatic events of Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension all took place within the same general area. A short stroll today can cover all of these historic sites within minutes. The famous southern steps between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives are believed to be the very ones on which Jesus often taught the multitudes. Most pilgrimages give believers an opportunity to sit on the steps and read the words He spoke in that final week of His life. This experience is moving, to say the least. It's easy to see why Christians love Jerusalem so much. Some of the most significant events in Jesus' life unfolded there. From the Old City, the lights of Bethlehem are clearly seen at night only six miles away. Within those six miles, Jesus was born and died. Although the major part of His life was lived in northern Israel, specifically the Galilee area, His footprints are all over the city. The Mount of Olives, which now contains the largest graveyard in the world, will one day come alive with the return of Jesus Himself.

For Muslims, the historical attachment does not track as clearly as it does with the other two monotheistic faiths: Judaism and Christianity. Since Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Koran, the only Islamic link is the supposed tying of Muhammad's horse to the stone edifice that Jewish people affectionately call the Western Wall.

I realize my above statement carries very little weight with the Muslim community, since Jerusalem has become their ultimate battleground. On a recent trip to Iran this year, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again spoke openly about Iran's goal of wiping Israel off the map. Unfortunately, in the volatile Middle East, many Muslims resonate with this statement and see it as the ultimate goal of their religion

Islamic claims to the city, however, are fairly recent. After the Six Day War in 1967, Arab Muslims launched a campaign that named Jerusalem as its third holiest site. Formerly, Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo, and a host of other cities were all called the third holiest sites by various Muslim groups, ranking just behind Mecca and Medina. But now, the fervor for Jerusalem among Muslim extremists is seen all over the Middle East. Murals of the Temple Mount are painted all throughout the West Bank and in surrounding Islamic regimes, with the Palestinian flag flying proudly over it. For Muslims, the one goal that will bring their solidarity worldwide is the fight for Jerusalem. This will be the battle that finally unites Muslims, whether they are Arabs, Persians, Asians, Africans, Europeans, or (unfortunately) Americans. All ethnic divisions will evaporate between Muslims. Tribal differences and even fundamental fault lines between Sunnis and Shiites will disappear.

The Bible tells us that the coming battle for Jerusalem will be the bloodiest ever. It will involve many nations in the all-out fight, but as usual it will be a battle that is spiritual in nature rather than political. It is easy to see that the conflict described on the nightly news is misunderstood and severely underestimated.

It is not all about land; it is all about God.

Since we Christians believe Jesus will be the ultimate liberator of Jerusalem, we've left the fate of the Holy City in His hands. As Jesus taught us, we are to turn the other cheek and employ completely different weapons of warfare—weapons that will ultimately have greater impact. We use weapons that change lives and redirect the trajectory of destinies. They are spiritual in nature.

So there were no Christian suicide bombers in Israel the last time I checked! That knocks us out of the equation in the fight for Jerusalem. But for Jews and Muslims, the battle rages. After waiting nineteen centuries to return to Jerusalem, many Jews would have no trouble giving their lives to defend their spiritual home. They have waited so long to dwell in the city again. They have suffered so much in their long history to get back inside those Old City walls. This time it is for good, though they are a tiny group compared to the world's population. They are fierce in their desire to keep Jerusalem as their spiritual and political capital.

Muslims, however, see the taking of Jerusalem as validation of their Islamic beliefs. Some radical Muslims believe that becoming a suicide bomber and killing many innocent Israelis in the process would only bring more honor to their family. Jerusalem is the ultimate conquest for Islam. And since it is home to Jews now, Muslims covet it more than ever.

On May 14, 2008, Israel celebrated its sixtieth birthday. In recent years, protestors in Cairo marched in defiance of this historical date. One Muslim woman held a sign that summarized the statement of the day with these words: Go to hell! Enemies Forever! Can we really expect these deep-seeded feelings to ever leave?

WHOSE LAND?

It is true that Jews and Arabs have struggled against each other for four millennia, but the stakes became significantly higher in the last century. The reason for this is easy to see by merely looking at a world map.

Before World War I, the Middle East was just a chunk of land in the middle of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Since the Turks ultimately owned it all, the fights over land were minimal. But with the collapse of the Ottomans, the landscape began to go through radical surgery. Nations like Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia were carved into existence, and land ownership became the name of the game. For centuries, the same land had been populated with area tribes. These people groups were a throwback to biblical days, not only in their dress but also in their nomadic lifestyle. All of a sudden, countries began springing to life in the 1930s and 1940s, and national identities emerged as the area was recreated.

What about the Jews?

The desire for Jews to return to their biblical heartland was not a recent one. Jewish families dreamed for centuries of a return to their home that the prophet Ezekiel had detailed in his famous dry bones prophecy of chapter 37. God had promised that He would gather the Jews from all the countries where they had been scattered and bring them back to their land for good. Despite the Jews' turning away from God and being displaced in the first place, these spiritual refugees would return in order that God's holy name would be exalted.

This process would involve two steps, as Old Testament Ezekiel prophesied in 36:24–25, I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.

First, Jewish immigrants would return to Israel from the four corners of the earth. Though this seemed improbable even sixty years ago, how quickly God moves when He seeks to fulfill His ancient promises. One former professor of mine, known for his particular interest and expertise in the area of prophecy, once said this: Not all too long ago, it was laughable to most people when I talked about the enormous impact Israel would have on the world in the days to come. After all, before the Jews reinhabited it, Palestine was a barren strip of land that nobody wanted. What exactly would draw all the nations of the world to it